Prisoner of Voldemort
by Elvenqueen Sarah
Summary: Written pre-release of OoTP. AU after GoF. Harry receives the worst news possible - someone he loves has been taken prisoner by Voldemort. Can the Order save them or will he have to do it himself? (A very slight hint of H/Hr) Rating is T just to be safe as there are some mentions of torture.


**Author's Note: **This is the 5th Harry Potter fanfic I wrote and it was written before the 5th book came out so any similarities to anything in that book are purely coincidental. It was written for my younger siblings who were desperate for anything relating to HP during those agonising years when JKR kept us waiting for the 5th book!

This story is a bit more mature in content than my four previous ones as when I wrote it my siblings had gotten a bit older and I felt they could handle a story that was slightly darker than my previous ones.

I was and will always be a major Harry/Hermione shipper and I never lost faith in Severus Snape (snarky and unpleasant as he was!).

I have written 11 stories in total for Harry Potter throughout the years and am only now posting them for the first time online. I hope you will enjoy reading them.

**Prisoner of Voldemort**

"**A friend is worth all hazards we can run." - Edward Young**

The three people in Professor Dumbledore's office stood in a silence that was filled with a feeling of tension. Professor Snape had just finished reporting to Dumbledore and McGonagall the latest movements of Voldemort and his Death Eaters.

The news was not what anyone had expected.

McGonagall removed her hand from her mouth, her eyes shining with unshed tears, and whispered hoarsely, 'how do I tell Harry, Albus? What could I say? This could destroy him after what's happened to him.'

Dumbledore looked at her, his eyes without their usual smile.

'I'll be telling him Minerva,' he said quietly. 'I will just need you to bring him to me and if they will come, which I don't doubt, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, for I feel certain Harry will have need of them when I tell him.'

McGonagall nodded and left the room.

As the door closed behind her Dumbledore turned to Snape, and as he sat down in his chair he said quietly, 'Severus, I need not tell you what this means. The risks you have taken in order to bring us this information were high in the extreme.'

Snape nodded his head, his eyes a little less cold than usual. His head jerked up, though, when Dumbledore continued.

'I must ask you Severus if you would remain while I inform Harry of what has happened. For if he needs additional information you will be able to tell him.'

Snape nodded reluctantly, for he had not wanted to be present when Harry was informed of what had happened.

After five minutes they heard footsteps coming up the stone steps outside the office door. There was a moment's silence and then the door opened to admit Professor McGonagall, accompanied by Harry, Ron and Hermione, all of who were covered in dirt having come from a particularly difficult Herbology lesson – ridding a section of the gardens of a growth of Horklumps.

All three students were looking apprehensive at having been called into Dumbledore's office. This apprehension was further increased when Dumbledore called them over to his desk and invited them to sit down.

Harry looked at Ron and Hermione, then walked slowly up to the desk and sat down. Ron and Hermione hesitated and then followed.

From the corner of his eye, Harry could see McGonagall and Snape standing by the wall slightly behind them and he wondered what he and the others must have done. Looking back at Dumbledore he wasn't encouraged by the grave look on his face.

Taking a deep breath Harry asked, 'is there anything wrong, sir?'

Dumbledore looked at him for a moment and then spoke in a quiet voice.

'I'm afraid there is Harry. I needed to inform you of something that Professor Snape reported to myself and Professor McGonagall a few minutes ago.' He paused and Harry noticed that he looked older than he had ever seen him before. He waited anxiously, knowing that anything Snape had reported to make Dumbledore look like that would not be good.

'Harry, Professor Snape reported to me that two days ago Sirius was caught by five Death Eaters as he was attempting to obtain information in regards to Voldemort's whereabouts. He is being kept at the Malfoy's property.'

Dumbledore stopped speaking as Harry stood up and walked quickly over to a window that overlooked the lake.

He stared unseeingly out, his hands gripping the windowsill until his knuckles showed white beneath his skin. He could not take it in. Sirius was a prisoner of Voldemort. His father's best friend was being held at the Malfoy's. His eyes narrowed as he felt a burning anger rise within him. His breath became shallow and rapid, and he was barely aware of a glass cabinet shattering next to him as his power became uncontrolled.

Suddenly, Hermione was next to him, gripping his arm.

'Harry,' she cried. 'Harry! Listen to me, you have to listen. Sirius wouldn't want you to despair. He'd want you to concentrate on doing what you have to and look after yourself.'

Ron who had come to Harry's other side and who had placed a hand on his shoulder interrupted her.

'Hermione's right, Harry,' he said quietly, his face pale. 'Don't let voldemort win by getting angry or despairing. Sirius always said you were like your father, so he'd want you to behave like your father would do in a situation like this. Think. What would your father have done?'

Harry's face grew still and his friends and the three teachers watching him saw the anger drain from his face and a look of concentrated determination take its place. He looked at Ron and Hermione and a small, sad smile appeared.

'You're right,' he said softly. 'I won't get angry. I'll do what Sirius would expect my father to do, and what Sirius would do.' He put an arm around each of them and hugged them. Surprised, Ron and Hermione put their arms around him and hugged him back. Pulling away from them slowly, Harry turned and looked at Dumbledore. Shards of glass crackled beneath his feet as he stepped forwards.

'Sir, was Voldemort the one questioning Sirius?'

Dumbledore looked at Snape who shook his head.

'No, Harry, he wasn't,' Dumbledore answered.

'Do they know where he is?'

Again Dumbledore looked at Snape who nodded and said, 'he informed us that he would be down south for a few weeks, Headmaster.'

Dumbledore turned back to Harry who asked, 'how did Professor Snape find out, sir? Did he see Sirius?'

'I'll let Professor Snape tell you Harry, for I myself do not know.'

Harry turned to look at Snape who said, 'I was present at the scene when they caught Black. He was on the opposite side of the street when they attacked him from behind. One of them – Malfoy – stupefied him and the others carried him away. They had not noticed me as I was in the doorframe of a shop I was exiting. I followed them and discovered that Voldemort had ordered the capture of Black before he left. I also overheard Avery say that they had better hurry as the Malfoy's property was some distance and Voldemort wanted the information quickly. I left and apparated at the Malfoy's, where I waited for them to arrive.

'When they appeared they took Black down to the dungeons that you can enter from the back of the house. I managed to hear some of the questioning when they awoke him; he was refusing to tell them anything. I disapparated and returned here.'

In the silence that followed Dumbledore asked quietly, 'is he still alive?'

'When I left he was,' Snape replied. 'They have four wizards with him at all times to prevent him escaping, which, even if he did, he would not get out as unless you know the dungeons layout you would have no chance of escaping. They're like a labyrinth.'

The room fell silent. Ron and Hermione each had a hand on Harry's shoulder, both feeling helpless to comfort him for they both knew how much Sirius meant to him, and how he must feel now knowing that Sirius was a prisoner of Voldemort.

'Professor Dumbledore?' Harry's voice was quiet.

'Yes Harry?'

'Could I go back to my common room please?'

'Of course Harry. Minerva, would you please take them back and inform their teachers that they will not be returning for their lessons today.'

McGonagall nodded, her face pale and tense. Turning she said gently, 'come along children,' and opened the door for them. Ron and Hermione let Harry go out first and then each followed slowly.

The walk back was accomplished in silence. None of them knew what to say and when they reached the picture of the Fat Lady, McGonagall turned and placing a hand on Harry's shoulder told him to get some rest. Turning back to the Fat Lady she said, 'Secnefon,' and waited as Harry climbed through the hole.

Before leaving she checked to see if Harry was out of earshot then said quietly, 'make sure he rests Mr Weasley and, Miss Granger, if something happens, if he needs anyone the password to Professor Dumbledore's office is "Candy Cane".' Turning about she walked back in the direction from whence they had come.

Ron and Hermione quickly climbed through the hole and caught up with Harry as he was climbing the stairs towards the boys' rooms. Without a word spoken between them, they reached the door to Ron and Harry's room, whereupon all three entered, despite the rule of no girls allowed in the boys' rooms.

Harry walked over to his bed and lay down, his eyes staring up to the ceiling.

Ron and Hermione each sat on an opposite side of him and looked at his face, both not knowing what to say.

Harry, looking at the ceiling, was forming a plan in his mind.

He kept remembering what Hermione and Ron had said in Dumbledore's office; _"concentrate on what you have to do," _and, _"what would your father have done?"_

Harry knew what his father or Sirius would have done and he was going to do it, but he couldn't involve Ron or Hermione, it was too dangerous.

xxxxxxxxxxx

By the time lessons were finished for the day, Harry had his plan worked out. He just needed to get away from Ron and Hermione.

Turning his head he looked at Hermione and then Ron. He smiled faintly.

'I'm all right you two. You don't have to sit with me.' His voice was quiet.

Ron looked unsure, but Hermione had a look of total disbelief on her face.

'Harry, you're not all right. We both know you're not.'

Harry sighed. There was no fooling Hermione.

He looked at her and said, 'okay, I'm not all right, but I just need to be alone for a little while. Could you and Ron go and, I don't know, find out what we missed in our other lessons?'

Hermione looked as though she was about to refuse, but upon seeing how pale Harry was, reluctantly nodded her head and got up.

'All right, Harry,' she said, as she walked around to the other side of the bed to the door. 'Come on Ron. Try and rest Harry,' she continued as she walked out the door.

Ron with a quick look at Harry followed her.

Harry gave a sigh relief. Now he only had to wait until it was dark and then he could put his plan into action. He looked at his watch. He had about one hour before he could leave. He got up and searched his wardrobe. He would need warm clothes and his wand.

Having found some suitable clothing, Harry put them on, wrapping his robes around himself again, for he did not want anyone coming in to see that he was in his normal clothes.

Lying back on his bed he pulled out his photo album and opened it to the picture of his parents. Looking at them he prayed desperately, 'help me to have the courage to do this, and please God help me to succeed.'

Then closing his eyes he prayed that Sirius would still be alive.

He must have dozed off because when next he opened his eyes the sun was going down behind the mountains in the distance.

Jumping out of bed he grabbed his wand and his invisibility cloak, which he held behind his robes, then turning he left the room and went down to the common room.

Upon entering the room he saw that Fred and George were there and, as usual, were creating chaos by transfiguring everyone's chairs into animals as soon as they attempted to sit down.

As Harry walked across the room George turned and seeing him cried out, 'hi Harry, want to join the fun?'

Harry shook his head. 'No thanks George, I'm just going down to the kitchens to get something.'

'Oh, well then, we won't hold you up,' Fred, having heard Harry's answer, called out. 'Lovely place the kitchen, best room in the school.' He grinned cheekily and then transfigured Lee Jordan's chair into a hamster.

Harry quickly walked over to the entrance and climbed through. Checking to see if anyone was there, he slipped on his invisibility cloak and closed the door.

Moving slowly forwards he heard the Fat Lady complaining about students who can't make up their minds on whether they want to go out or not.

Speeding up, he went quickly down to the kitchens, where he slipped off the cloak and asked the bowing house-elves if he could see Dobby.

Dobby came running into the room in a bright pink shirt with purple stripes, fluorescent-green trousers and with mismatching socks – one was a mustard colour with red spots, the other, the one that Harry had tricked Lucius Malfoy into giving Dobby.

Dobby hugged Harry tightly round the wait crying, 'Harry Potter, sir! Dobby is very happy to see you, sir!' He beamed at Harry who smiled back.

'It's good to see you Dobby.' He paused and then checking to see if the other house-elves had moved away he bent down and looked at Dobby, his face serious.

'Dobby, I need your help.'

Dobby immediately caught Harry's robes in his hand and cried, 'Harry Potter wants Dobby's help? Dobby is glad to help Harry Potter. Dobby will do anything for Harry Potter.'

'Don't be so sure Dobby,' Harry said quietly. 'What I am going to ask you to do you may not want to, I'll understand if you don't, but I hope that you will.'

Harry took a deep breath and said, 'I want you to tell me how to get into the Malfoy's property and how to get into the dungeons. I've just been told that my Godfather, Sirius, is being held a prisoner there and I want to get him out. Apparently, their dungeons are impossible to escape from if you don't know them and he has four wizards guarding him.' Harry looked Dobby in the eye and said seriously, 'you are the only person who can help me Dobby. Will you?'

Dobby stared at him. There was fright in his face, but there was determination as well and when he spoke his voice was firm.

'Dobby will not let Harry Potter go alone. Dobby will come and help Harry Potter. After all, Sir freed Dobby and Dobby owes Sir his freedom. When did Sir wish to go?'

'Now Dobby, immediately,' Harry sighed in relief.

'Very well Sir, if Sir will give Dobby his hand Dobby will take Sir straight to Dobby's old master's home.' Dobby held out his hand.

Harry reaching out his own hand asked, 'how can you do that Dobby? I thought that people couldn't disapparate from Hogwarts?'

'Oh, that is using wands, Sir. We house-elves do not use wands, we use our own magic and that allows us to apparate and disapparate anywhere.'

'What about me though Dobby?' Harry asked. 'I've held onto you before and you've disapparated without taking me with you.'

'That is because Harry Potter held onto Dobby's clothes. Harry Potter needs to hold onto Dobby to go with him.' Then gripping Harry's hand tightly Dobby snapped his fingers and immediately Harry felt his body being taken from the Hogwarts kitchens and suddenly placed in a garden behind a clump of trees at the back of a huge mansion that stood menacingly above them.

Harry looked down at Dobby who was peeping around the old oak tree in front of them.

'Dobby,' Harry whispered, 'I'm going to need you to take me through the dungeons. I'll put on my cloak and you can come under it with me, so we'll both be invisible.'

Dobby nodded and standing close to Harry he felt the cloak fall about them.

Before they set off, Harry looked down at Dobby and said quietly, 'Dobby, I may need your help in dealing with the wizards in there, the ones guarding Sirius. Would you be able to do that?'

Dobby nodded and whispered, 'Dobby can use his powers, Sir. Sir saw me use them before on Dobby's old master.'

Harry inclined his head, remembering when Lucius Malfoy had gone to attack him after he had helped free Dobby and Dobby had blasted him off his feet and down a flight of stairs. He smiled at the memory and then said to Dobby, 'if you're ready Dobby, we'll go.'

Dobby nodded and stepping quietly forwards, he led Harry up to a door at the back of the mansion. Dobby snapped his fingers and the door opened slowly.

Taking a deep breath Harry stepped through the doorway and closed the door behind him.

xxxxxxxxxxx

Back at Hogwarts, Ron and Hermione were returning to the Gryffindor common room carrying the homework that had been set in their last lesson, History of Magic. Professor Binns, much to Ron's dismay, had set them a three-foot long assignment on the goblin riot of 1603.

When they entered the common room they found it almost deserted, Fred and George having driven away everyone with their transfiguration pranks.

Fred looked up as they entered. 'Hey, you two, want to join in?' He pointed to the game of exploding snap he and George were now playing.

'No thanks,' Ron replied, holding up the assignment, 'we have to give this to Harry.'

George looked up from his cards and said, 'Harry's not here. He went about twenty-five minutes ago.'

'What!' Hermione exclaimed. 'Where did he go?'

'Said he was going to the kitchens. Guess he couldn't wait for dinner.' George looked at Hermione and was startled to see her face pale. The next thing he knew Hermione was throwing down the papers in her hand and was running to the door, yelling for Ron to come and to hurry up.

Fred and George stared as the two ran from the room, not knowing what they had said to cause such a panic.

Upon reaching the kitchens Hermione asked if Harry had been there in the last half-hour. The house-elves bowed and replied that certainly Sir had been there. He had asked to see Dobby and then Sir and Dobby disappeared.

Hermione swallowed and asked, 'do you know where they went?'

'No miss,' replied the elf at the front of the group. 'We went away and when we came back they were gone.'

Hermione nodded, thanked them and turned back to Ron.

'We have to see Dumbledore. I think Harry's gone to try and get Sirius himself.'

Ron paled and turning quickly they raced out of the kitchens and up to the entrance to Dumbledore's office.

'Candy Cane,' Hermione gasped.

The gargoyle moved aside and the two hurried up the steps. Reaching the office door, Hermione knocked quickly, then before waiting to be invited, opened the door and hurried in, Ron following a few steps behind.

Dumbledore was at his desk reading a report, with McGonagall standing to the side. They both had looked up as the two hurried up to the desk.

'Miss Granger, Mr Weasley,' McGonagall said startled. 'What is the matter?'

'Harry,' Hermione said between gasps. 'He's gone. We left him in his room, he said he wanted to be alone, and when we got back Fred and George said he'd gone to the kitchens. We just went there and the elves said that he had asked to see Dobby and when Dobby came he and Harry talked and then they disappeared.'

Dumbledore sat very still for a moment and then he turned to McGonagall who had whitened at Hermione's news.

'Minerva, I would like you to go and bring Severus to me, immediately.'

McGonagall nodded and hurried out of the room. Dumbledore turned to Ron and Hermione and asked, 'how long ago did Fred and George say he had left?'

'Twenty-five minutes,' Hermione replied.

Dumbledore turned his head as McGonagall and Snape walked in. By a stroke of good fortune Snape had been passing by the entrance when McGonagall had stepped out.

'Albus,' McGonagall asked as she came further into the room, 'how long has Mr Potter been gone for?'

'With the exclusion of when Miss Granger and Mr Weasley found out and told us, twenty-five minutes.'

McGonagall closed her eyes and upon opening them, looked at Dumbledore and said desperately, 'anything could have happened to him by now!'

'I know Minerva, that is why we must move quickly.' Turning to Snape he said, 'Severus I cannot risk you being seen with me so I will go alone. I need you to inform the other members of the Order of what has happened.' Then facing McGonagall he said, 'Minerva I ask that you remain here as well, and you Miss Granger and Mr Weasley,' (both Ron and Hermione looked at him), 'if you wish you may remain her with Professor McGonagall.'

Ron and Hermione nodded, neither wanted to go back to the common room and wait for news. McGonagall inclining her head in agreement added, her voice cracking, 'he's just like his father, Albus. James would have done exactly the same thing for any of his friends. I just hope he'll be all right.'

'He will be Minerva.'

With that Dumbledore walked towards the door.

xxxxxxxxxxx

Meanwhile in the Malfoy's dungeons, Harry and Dobby were creeping along the corridors.

'Snape was right,' Harry thought, 'these are a labyrinth.'

He was thankful that Dobby knew his way through them, the house-elf apparently had had to clean the dungeons every week as the Malfoy's insisted on every room in their house being spotless.

Moving quietly along one particularly dark corridor, they heard voices ahead and crept nearer, Harry pulling his wand out from his sleeve.

The voice speaking as he drew nearer was one he remembered from last year in the graveyard. It was MacNair.

'He won't talk Avery. We've tried everything. Beating, drowning, and the Cruciatus Curse – numerous times – nothing's working. We even tried the Imperius Curse, but when we did it he threw it right off. You'll have to tell Lucius he's not talking.'

Harry crept closer to the doorway and peeped in. Standing in front of him were three wizards. One he didn't recognise, the others were Avery and MacNair. Turning his head he saw another wizard he didn't know turning away from a man hanging from the wall. Harry could not see his face properly as it was in the shadow of a pillar, but he knew it was Sirius.

The other wizard joined the other three and said, 'Lucius won't be happy about this. The Dark Lord wanted the information by tomorrow.'

'Well we can't get him to talk. If Lucius thinks he can do it why doesn't he come down?' Avery's voice was sullen.

'Will you be the one who tells him that?' MacNair asked sarcastically.

Harry watched as Avery shuddered and then, suddenly, as though his fear of Lucius Malfoy had got the better of him, he spun around, yelled, 'there must be a way to make him talk,' stepped closer to Sirius, raised his wand and shouted, 'CRUCIO!'

Sirius' screams filled the dungeon. His body was writhing against the wall, his arms straining against the chains holding him. His head began to jerk uncontrollably and Harry could see blood dripping from his wrists where the steel cuffs were cutting into his skin.

Before he could consider the wisdom of his actions, Harry leapt forward, lifted his wand and yelled, 'STUPEFY!'

Avery collapsed onto the ground and lay motionless as Sirius passed out.

The other three wizards in the room had turned at Harry's voice and saw a hand in the air holding a wand and Dobby, who had been uncovered when Harry had leapt forward.

They raised their wands but before they could say anything, Dobby raised his finger and a loud bang echoed around the dungeon and the three were thrown backwards against the wall. As they struck, Harry was hitting each with a stupefying charm that caused them to crumble onto the floor and lie still.

Rushing forwards with only his head showing above his cloak, Harry ran to where Sirius was hanging and gasped as he saw his face clearly for the first time. Blood was covering large areas of it. He had bruises on his cheeks and over his eyes, and his mouth was split open with blood trickling down his neck and onto his shirt, which was torn in several places with bloodstains encircling the holes.

Turning Harry said, 'Dobby you undo his chains and I'll support him.'

Dobby nodded and snapped his fingers. The chains securing Sirius' wrists and ankles fell apart and Sirius started to fall to the ground. Harry caught him quickly and turned to Dobby.

'Dobby can you get us out of here now?'

'Yes sir, but Sir will have to make his friend hold onto Dobby, otherwise Dobby cannot take him back.'

Harry nodded and desperately tried to get Sirius' hand to stay on Dobby's arm. Finally, putting one arm around Sirius' waist, Harry put out his other hand, which was still grasping his wand, and placed Sirius' hand on Dobby's left arm, keeping his hand on top of Sirius' while with the arm around Sirius' waist he caught hold of Dobby's right hand.

'Right, let's go Dobby, quickly.'

Dobby nodded and just as he was about to snap his fingers he pointed to a wand on a table.

'Harry Potter, is that Sir's friend's wand?'

Harry looked quickly, first at the wand, and then at the unconscious wizards, all of whom had wands in their hands.

'It must be Dobby.' And pointing his wand with difficulty, said, 'accio wand,' and Sirius' wand flew across the room. Dobby reached up, caught it and slipped it inside his pink shirt.

Suddenly, both Harry and Dobby froze.

Footsteps were coming to the door.

Just as Dobby raised his finger Lucius Malfoy walked around the corner. Upon seeing them he reached for his wand. Before Harry could do anything Dobby had snapped his fingers and the dungeons and Lucius Malfoy disappeared from Harry's sight.

The next thing he heard was Dumbledore saying, 'he will be Minerva.'

Harry looked around. He was in Professor Dumbledore's office and in front of him was Professor McGonagall, Snape, Ron and Hermione, who had all turned and were staring at him as he stood there holding up Sirius with Dobby between them.

'Harry!' Hermione screamed and she rushed forward, followed closely by Ron.

Reaching Harry, Hermione threw her arms around both him and Sirius, tears streaming down her face. Suddenly she drew back realising that Sirius was starting to sink to the floor. Jumping to Sirius' other side she put her arm around his waist while calling Ron to get behind and support his back.

The three teachers were all hurrying towards them as Harry, Ron and Hermione lowered Sirius to the floor.

Only when Sirius was lying down did all of them see his bloodied face and clothes properly. In Dumbledore's office's light he looked worse than he had in the dungeons.

Harry knelt beside him, taking off his cloak as he did so, his face smeared with the blood that had dripped from Sirius'.

'Sirius. Sirius!' he called, shaking him by the shoulders.

Everyone watched as Harry looked desperately for some sign of response from Sirius.

Dobby took Sirius' wand out of his shirt and placed it on Dumbledore's desk, his eyes filled with sadness.

Suddenly a low moan of pain was heard coming from Sirius. His eyes flickered and he said croakily, 'you may as well kill me, I won't tell you anything. May you and your master rot in hell.'

Harry gave what sounded like a sob before he leaned closer to Sirius and said brokenly, 'Sirius, it's me, Harry.'

Sirius' eyes opened slowly. He gazed at Harry in disbelief. 'Harry?' His face winced in pain as he turned to look closer at Harry. 'What are you doing here, Harry?' he demanded weakly. 'You'll get caught!'

Harry grasped one of his hands. 'You're back at Hogwarts Sirius,' he said quietly, 'in Professor Dumbledore's office.'

Sirius looked up and saw the faces of Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, Ron, Hermione and Dobby gazing down at him.

'How?'

There was a moment's silence as Harry hesitated. Finally he said quietly, 'Dobby and I brought you.'

Sirius fell back to the ground with a cry of pain as he tried to sit up quickly and his body, still recovering from the Cruciatus Curse screamed in protest.

'What?' he gasped. 'You – you did Harry? How could you do anything so foolish? You could have died. Do you think I would have wanted that? Do you? Why? Why did you do it?'

Harry looked at him, his expression serious.

'I couldn't leave you there Sirius. I couldn't. I wouldn't be able to bear the thought that I had left you there to die.' Harry's voice cracked and he fell silent with Sirius looking at him, his face pale but his eyes full of affection. When he spoke his voice was shaking.

'Harry, I don't know what to say.' Sirius swallowed. 'You are so like your father. He would have risked his life for mine just as you have done. James would be proud of you.' He smiled at Harry and his hand gripped Harry's.

In the silence that fell Harry looked up as Fawkes flew down and landed next to Sirius' shoulder. The phoneix let out a soft, quavering note then bent over Sirius' head and Harry saw thick, pearly tears falling onto Sirius' face.

As everyone in the room watched the cuts on Sirius' face closed and vanished. Fawkes then fluttered down and proceeded to heal Sirius' chest and wrists. With one last quavering note Fawkes rose into the air and settled himself on Dumbledore's shoulder.

Sirius gave a sigh and they all noticed that the expression of pain had left his face. He closed his eyes and soon the sound of his shallow breathing told them he was asleep.

Harry looked up as Dumbledore stepped forward with his wand pointing at Sirius.

'He should sleep until his body decides it is ready to face another day,' Dumbledore said, explaining to Harry, Ron and Hermione that he had put Sirius into an enchanted sleep. They nodded silently. Dumbledore then conjured up a stretcher for Sirius and placed him on it. Turning he looked at Harry who was waiting apprehensively now for Dumbledore to state what his punishment would be for what he had done.

Therefore, when Dumbledore spoke he looked up in shock.

'Harry I must say that Sirius was right. Your father would have been proud of you.' He smiled at Harry's astonishment and told them all to sit down and when Dobby became overcome with emotion at being asked to sit down by Dumbledore he simply smiled and held out a chair for him.

After they were all seated Dumbledore turned to Harry, his face serious.

'Now Harry I want you to tell me everything that happened when you arrived at the Malfoy's.'

Harry nodded and began from the moment he had asked Dobby to help him.

When he started to tell Dumbledore of when Avery had performed the Cruciatus Curse on Sirius his voice seized up, remembering how Sirius had screamed in agony and the way his body had writhed in pain. Everyone in the room sat in silence.

When Dumbledore broke the silence that had fallen to ask if Harry knew what else they had done, even Snape who hated Sirius could not help wincing when Harry replied, 'yes sir. I heard MacNair say that they had used the Cruciatus Curse numerous times besides beating and drowning him. They apparently also used the Imperius Curse as well, but MacNair said he threw it off.'

'He threw it off?' exclaimed Ron surprised. 'But hardly anyone can do that. In our class last year Harry was the only one able to do it.'

Dumbledore turned and looked at Ron and explained. 'To resist the Imperius Curse requires a great strength of mind and the ability to overcome the power of the one controlling the curse.' Then turning back to Harry he asked, 'so Sirius had not told them anything?'

'No sir, that's what they were angry about. Voldemort wanted the information tomorrow.'

Dumbledore nodded, his face grave.

Harry then continued to finish his story. When he stopped Dumbledore turned to Dobby who was looking scared, believing that since he had helped Harry he would now be punished.

'Dobby.' Dumbledore's voice was gentle.

'Sir?' Dobby's voice quavered slightly as he looked apprehensively at Dumbledore.

'You have been very brave Dobby. Certainly, without you Harry could not have rescued Sirius. We all thank you for your assistance.' He smiled at Dobby so kindly that Dobby jumped from his seat, tears streaming down his face.

'Oh sir. Dobby was afraid Sir would sack Dobby.'

'No Dobby I won't be dismissing you. In fact, I was hoping that you would take over the cleaning of Harry's room.'

Dobby looked at Dumbledore, his face was smiling widely as though Dumbledore had just offered him the greatest honour, which in Dobby's view he had.

'Clean Harry Potter's room, sir? Me?'

'Yes Dobby, you.' Dumbledore smiled as the house-elf grinned even wider.

'Dobby will go now sir. Thank you sir,' and he snapped his fingers and disappeared.

Dumbledore turned to McGonagall.

'Minerva would you take Harry, Miss Granger and Mr Weasley back to their dormitories. I believe that they would not feel up to facing the other students at dinner, so could you also arrange for a meal to be sent up to them.'

'Of course, come along children.' She turned to go when Dumbledore halted her.

'Minerva after you have seen to that could you fetch Madame Pomfrey and bring her up here.'

McGonagall nodded then ushered Harry, Ron and Hermione out of the room.

xxxxxxxxxxx

Later that evening Harry, Ron and Hermione sat in a corner of the Gryffindor common room. Sirius, McGongall had just informed them, had been taken to an isolated room in the hospital wing and they could visit him when they wished. Hermione was the first to speak.

'Harry, next time you ever do something like this could you please tell Ron and I?'

Harry looked at her. Her face was perfectly serious.

'Hermione, the reason I didn't take you two was because it was dangerous. I might not have come back.'

'That's what I mean,' Hermione said. 'Do you think that's what Ron and I want? For you to die somewhere, where neither of us know where you are or how we're going to get you back? We don't care if it's dangerous. You're what's important to us Harry and we'd go anywhere with you.'

Harry glanced from her to Ron who nodded.

'That's what friends are for,' Ron said.

Harry swallowed. The next moment he had jumped up and hugged both of them.

'You two are the best friends I could ask for.'

Hermione turned away quickly and wiped her eyes, and Ron suddenly became very interested in a mark on his robes.

After a moment Harry said, 'do you want to come and see Sirius now? He might be awake.'

Ron nodded and Hermione asked if they should take some flowers.

'All right, we'll get some on the way to the hospital,' Harry replied.

Walking to the door the three of them paused for a moment and looked at each other. From that moment onwards they all knew that never again would any of them have to face danger alone. If one faced danger then all three would face the danger. Smiling they turned and walked through the doorway.

**DISCLAIMER:** I DO NOT OWN THE CHARACTERS MENTIONED IN THIS STORY. THEY BY RIGHT BELONG TO **J.K. ROWLING**, CREATOR OF THE HARRY POTTER SERIES. THE SITUATIONS MENTIONED, HOWEVER, ARE MY OWN IDEAS. I AM NOT MAKING ANY PROFIT OUT OF THIS STORY.


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